Soulmate
by uptightcrankyshadownet
Summary: TiMER/NYSM crossover where Dylan meets his soulmate.


Dylan Shrike gets his TiMER fitted at ten, along with the other children whose parents could afford to pay for the operation. Hordes of schoolchildren shift restlessly while the tall man in gray drones on about how the TiMER works- how it counts down to the moment you meet your soulmate, how you might get a blank TiMER because your soulmate hasn't gotten one implanted yet, how it means you've already met your soulmate if your TiMER displays zero when it's first inserted. He assures them that it will not impede life in the least, and that it might hurt a little, but not much.

The operation is more nerve-wracking than they all expect, with the prick of the syringe injecting morphine into his veins. An expressionless surgeon slices his numb wrist open, clean and bloodless, and embeds the thin, sleek, metallic strip into Dylan's flesh. It's over in a minute, and then he's out of his chair to join his schoolmates in the hubbub of the holding room, comparing the countdowns on their TiMERs. One thirteen-year-old girl is dashing around frantically trying to find the other zero she suspects is in the room; Dylan's classmate jabs animatedly at his wrist, the countdown at mere hours. He can't help but feel a little disappointed when he sees his countdown is at twenty-four years, eons away for a child like him.

But he comprehends and embraces the idea of a soulmate, even at his age. His father has patiently explained it, the perfect other half worth waiting forever for. Patience is a virtue, and he's been cultivating that under his parents' care and guidance.

So he waits.

Two years later, Lionel Shrike disappears into a safe and then under the sea, and never comes up again.

Dylan watches impassively when they bury his mother, dead after ripping her own TiMER out by brute force, wrenching open her major arteries at the same time. He's taken in by his aunt, who changes his name to her husband's surname- he's now Dylan Rhodes, and he decides to begin a new life.

He waits- this time, with a new objective in mind. _Thaddeus Bradley. _Now it's his name and his face that haunts his sleep and dreams, not the faceless figure of his future soulmate. It's a bitter taste on his tongue for a twelve-year-old left without either parent, an orphan in all legal right, and the repressed rage of a boy born to be a magician- born to be a genius- manifests itself in revenge.

Nobody ever suspects the kid, do they?

Flash forward twenty-four years. The TiMER is practically forgotten when he throws himself headfirst into his plans. One score and four down the road he's finally thrown the lever and the machine is moving into action- one grand, elaborate scheme to take revenge for the father and mother he lost.

Daniel impresses him a little (although they all do) which is quite a feat. The building is a fancy touch to an age-old trick; Dylan enjoys it. Cocky, charismatic little street magician, but he's got a good heart. He knows it. He'll rise to become the head of the team without them even realizing- even if he doesn't always make the really big decisions. He'll learn

Henley- Henley stands out by a mile. Her act is terrifyingly realistic and probably has scarred any minors in the crowd over and over, with the vicious piranhas with their deadly-looking teeth, and the red liquid gushing over the box she's submerged in. It's like a punch in the gut when he sees her, drenched and soaking in the crowd and remembers his father, the man who never rose unharmed again... but that might be what draws him in the end.

Jack, the baby of the four. It makes him smile, how he relies on stealing and a very novel form of conning to get by. Dylan sympathizes, he really does. He seems so unremarkable, so unskilled compared to his counterparts. But Dylan sees the untapped potential brimming to the core. He's eager to learn. He's willing, he's malleable, even. And that's why Dylan places the Death card in the wallet for him to find.

Merritt's the slyest and the one that makes Dylan smile the most when he sees the man make a fool out of the cheating bastard, especially with the addition of seeing him naked if he even thinks about the other woman again. He can see Merritt being the background leader already, maybe pulling some of the strings. The one who saunters by life, whistling in the face of adversity, smiling til the very end.

A good team.

He knows he's got one chance to pull this off right. He's worked his whole life for this, become an FBI agent for this. He watches them as they rob the bank, watches the live telecast with dollar bills raining down on the stage. He puts up his show of exasperated, furious detective when he studies the case. He doesn't notice or care about the ticking on his wrist, the ticking that's now minutes away.

And then life throws a huge surprise into his path.

"Rhodes, Interpol sent one of their agents over to work with us." Allenby's notification makes Dylan roll his eyes, exasperated that there's an unexpected cog thrown into the mechanics of the contraption. "_What? _Why the hell do we need Interpol?"

"Yeah, I don't know. She's coming right up to meet us."

_Ten seconds._

The lift door slides open and the Interpol officer walks briskly down to the office.

_Five seconds. _

She finds the door, hand resting on the doorknob.

_Two seconds._

Interpol Officer Alma Dray opens the door and walks in.

_Zero seconds._

Alma Dray and Dylan Rhodes lock eyes as the obnoxiously loud twin beeping reverberates across the small office, making everyone look up in recognition, understanding and excitement at which pair of soulmates has found each other this time.

Long platinum blonde hair cascades past pale shoulders, and she freezes in her tracks, jade green eyes staring at him, reflecting shock and uncertainty. Dylan can't breathe, can't speak, she's so _beautiful, _and all the childish elation he felt two decades ago after the operation comes rushing back.

The beeping has died down, and Dylan takes a step forward, everything else forgotten for the time being. He reaches forward and takes her hand, feeling her fingers slip between his.

"Hey there," He murmurs, catching her jaw and tilting her face up to look straight into her eyes. "I'm Dylan Rhodes, and I'm your soulmate."

She's the one who initiates the kiss, free hand clutching at his collar and pulling him closer, lips clashing the same moment the TiMERs on their wrists do. Allenby begins to applaud, and so does the entire workroom, but they're both deaf to the sounds. Dylan can't remember another time a kiss felt this right.

When she withdraws, she's flushed, almost glowing, and grins like she's won a million dollars. Her voice- rich, deep, intense, brilliant, with the incredibly pronounced, sexy french accent- "I'm Alma Dray, and I'm your soulmate."

His hands come to rest on her hips and he draws her closer, resting his chin on top of her head. "I look forward to working with you on this case."

**AN: Officially in canon, it counts down to the night before you meet your soulmate but I figured it would be more dramatic if it counted down to the exact moment. Alma's reveal also isn't canonically legit- it's been a week since I've watched the movie and I've forgotten. Apologies! Hope you enjoyed this :)**


End file.
